

Getting your kids’ academic supplies before the school year begins can be stressful on top of all your usual errand running. Simplify your search with this detailed back to school guide. We list all the essentials with the best discounts, ultimately saving you money and time.
Find all the fundamental materials you need to get your kids off to a great start this school year, regardless of whether they’re just beginning school or going to college.
Two-pocket folders are a necessity no matter what grade your child is starting. Folders help them organize assignments and prevent important documents from getting lost. You can find quite a few with coupons on amazon!
Similar to folders, binders help students organize materials and keep loose leaf papers from getting lost or accidentally thrown away. Don’t forget subject dividers to organize classwork and assignments. You can find a basic primary color set here! This binder with a clipboard front is my pick! Perfect for back to school and I used to even use it at work!
Help your kids keep track of their classes and assignments with a planner. Looking over a planner’s weekly and monthly calendar encourages goal-setting and academic success. I love this fun and trendy Lily Pulitzer design!
While many students increasingly rely on computers to take notes, some studies suggest writing with a pencil and paper can aid in memory and recall. Mechanical pencils are more convenient and longer-lasting than traditional No. 2 pencils. However, if you’re trying to be more eco-friendly, standard wooden pencils use fewer resources to make and degrade faster in landfills than plastic pencils.
Students who use wooden pencils will benefit from portable pencil sharpeners. Manual sharpeners tend to be less expensive and noisy than electronic versions.
Every pencil needs its sidekick: an eraser. I love this bundle with regular and pencil tip erasers. Don’t forget to buy pencil grips, which are easier on calluses and sweaty hands.
Support note-taking with plenty of ballpoint pens. Consider getting colorful gel pens to help make studying more fun, like these Ooly Tutti Fruitti Scented Gel Pens!
Cute pencil cases can help encourage students to put their writing utensils in one place, keeping them easily on hand and from getting lost. This cute sparkly case comes in lots of fun prints and colors.
Make studying more fun and effective with vibrant highlighters. We love these S-Note by Sharpie on sale that don’t bleed and pair perfectly with a planner!
Label your kids’ school supplies with custom stickers to help prevent them from getting lost.
Stretchy book socks help to keep school textbooks safe from wear and tear. Take advantage of a trusted back to school guide to find the best sales on book socks and other classroom supplies.
Flashcards are a key tool for studying and public speaking. Index cards allow students to create flashcards modified to their unique needs. We love this huge set with punch holes and keyring to keep them organized and in one place!
Students will need rulers for art, math and science classes. While metal and wooden rulers last longer, plastic rulers can make it easier to align and measure material if they’re transparent.
Tissue boxes are a necessity for any classroom, especially during winter. Keep your kids stocked with pocket tissues for their backpacks and desks.
Children middle school age or older need different supplies than younger students.
Basic solar-powered calculators will suffice for most grade school kids. For middle school and onward, students may need graphing or scientific calculators. Advanced math courses may also require graph paper and protractors.
While many assignments are submitted digitally, some instructors still require hard copies of assignments, which need paper clips or staples to hold them together. Grab one of these pocket staplers for easy to-go portability, or check out the new staple free stapler!
Last-minute corrections to essays will need white-out or liquid paper.
Most college students will require a laptop of some kind. While access to a library and its printing materials is often included in tuition costs, some students prefer the convenience of a personal printer, which requires ink cartridges and printing paper.
If your children need to file assignments into three-ring binders, they’ll need a three-hole punch. We love this one that you can keep with you right in your binder.
Middle and high school students may be required to buy their combination locks for lockers if the school doesn’t provide one.
Consider investing in a reusable notebook if your children go through paper quickly. This RocketBook has gotten some great feedback in our facebook group. Some reusable notebooks even save writing on various cloud storage services.
Your kids will have fun learning and creating with these essential tools for arts and crafts.
Blunt-tip scissors are safe for kids to use for school craft time or creative homework assignments. If your child is left-handed, you can find many tool options, including scissors, tailored for them.
No school supply ensemble is complete without glue! Most early school grades use liquid and stick glue, including colorful and sparkly versions.
Colorful wax crayons are a staple of the preschool and kindergarten experience. My son loves coloring with his beeswax crayons at home. Make school time fun by choosing scented versions of washable markers with a large range of colors.
Aim for a variety of construction paper sizes and colors to cover an array of different projects.
A new school year means new clothes for your growing kids. Make clothes shopping easy by taking advantage of prime retail offers.
Whether it’s jackets or pants, jeans never go out of style. They’re also durable and go with everything! We love The Children’s Place – currently jeans start at only $7.99 plus they always ship free with no minimum.
Pair your kids’ favorite pairs of jeans with a range of trendy t-shirts.
Keep your kids comfortable and confident with sneakers from their favorite brands. Log in for always free shipping at DSW.
Children sometimes place as much fashion value on backpacks as they do on their clothes. The perfect backpack will carry their books and match their personality. If your children require laptops for school, many backpacks are designed to carry them and contain USB ports for convenient charging.
Choose lunchboxes that keep food cool and boast designs from your kids’ favorite tv shows or movies. Our favorite lunch box is the bentgo box which has truly made packing lunch so much easier! This compartmentalized box currently has a $5 off coupon. Add a thermos or water bottle to help your kiddos stay hydrated.
Shop for school supplies with the help of Simply Sales With Alyssa and Sarah. Our back to school guide lightens your busy schedule by handling all the bargain hunting. We find the best deals so you have more time to spend with your family and finish up your Summer fun!